Track: Oumou Sangaré – ‘Minata Waraba (Sampha Remix)’

Ahead of the release of Oumou Sangaré remix album, due out on March 2nd via No Format, she’s released Sampha’s remix of her track Minata Waraba. Originally taken from her much-praised Mogoya album, Sampha is amongst the artist and fans of Sangaré who have remixed that album. Other artists on the album include Spoek Mathambo, St Germain & François And The Atlas Mountains, but Sampha has a real respect for her music, saying “My dad had a copy of Oumou’s album “Worotan” and no other album has spoken to me quite like that. Her music ha​s​ been a huge inspiration ever since and it’s a real honour to have remixed some of her music.”

Sampha manages to keep Oumou’s vocal unaffected, finding room for it amongst the bubbling chimes and electronics, as he adds in a ever morphing beat that drops over barlines and causes slight musical havoc, in a completely brilliant way. As the track unfurls, so it begins to follow the rules as these chords warm the vocals with that little bit more sunshine.

Check it out, here

‘Mogoya’ (which translates as ‘People Today’)​ was released last year to praise from Dazed, The Fader and the Guardian, also making Best of 2017 Lists by Mojo, ​Gilles Peterson, Guardian and the BBC. Oumou collaborate​d​ with Afrobeat/Fela Kuti legend Tony Allen & A.L.B.E.R.T. (Beck, Air, Franz Ferdinand) to head in a new, distinctly modern direction, 28 years after selling 200,000 copies of her debut. ​​Following Roundhouse & Village Underground sell outs, Oumou will​ also be appearing at this year’s Field Day on ​June 2​.​